Video 7:39
Breaking the cycle of alcohol and drug abuse in Ceduna

The Federal Government recently pledged nearly $1 million to authorities and welfare agencies to help break the cycle of alcohol and drug abuse in the remote South Australian town of Ceduna.

Transcript

LEIGH SALES, PRESENTER: For decades, alcohol and drug abuse have ruined the lives of thousands of Indigenous Australians and their families.

Dry zones, alcohol restrictions, even drastic interventions have had limited success, if any, in addressing the problem.

One case in point is the remote South Australian town of Ceduna.

The Federal Government recently pledged nearly a million dollars to authorities and welfare agencies there to help break the cycle.

But some locals argue money alone won't stop a core group of people spending their entire benefits to slowly drink themselves to death. Vassil Malandris reports.

VASSIL MALANDRIS, REPORTER: Ceduna in the far west of South Australia is the gateway to the Nullarbor. It's visited by 250,000 tourists every year, but there's another less alluring side to this picturesque town.

Poverty, disadvantage and alcohol abuse are systemic among the Indigenous population. Scenes like this are commonplace. Here, a woman accused of stealing wine is chased and stoned.

Today is payday and even before the bottle shops open, a steady crowd has amassed out the front.

The centre of Ceduna has been a dry zone since restrictions were introduced in 1988. However, people can still purchase a limited amount of alcohol; they simply leave the city limits to drink it.

A local Special Operations Unit has the job of policing the drinkers. The hazards are quickly apparent.

???: We see people who are essentially drinking themselves to death. There are various reasons, dispossession, family issues, but essentially just an overwhelming desire to drink alcohol.

JOHN ISGAR, ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY LEADER: People who don't get educations, people who can't transition into work, people who can't fund and maintain their own economies and look after their own families are gonna find something else to do. I mean, if you got up in the morning and had nothing to do, why wouldn't you go and have a grog?

BRUCE THOMPSON, LOCAL COUNCIL EMPLOYEE: I've warned you before. Keep your mouth shut. Do not abuse people in the street. You're waking people at two. Be quiet.

VASSIL MALANDRIS: Bruce Thompson and Tony Edmonds are employed by the local council to move the drinkers out of Ceduna and into the bush or nearby Indigenous camps. Tonight they're on alert as drinkers are straying too close to the highway.

BRUCE THOMPSON: Sounds like people are heading close to the sand hills which is a big concern with us because it's so close to the actual main highway. So, yeah, they sound like there's a few arguing out there, so I'll just go down, check who it is, see how intoxicated they are. If necessary, call the MATBUS to transfer people (inaudible).

BRUCE THOMPSON: This is one of the roadside tributes that the Aboriginal people have left the person who was killed. And what they'll do is they'll walk past and touch the flowers or they may sit here, gather here and have a quiet moment.

VASSIL MALANDRIS: And how many roadside markers on this stretch of road?

BRUCE THOMPSON: There's three along the road.

VASSIL MALANDRIS: So three fatalities just on this stretch of road?

BRUCE THOMPSON: Yeah, yep, within 12 months.

VASSIL MALANDRIS: In fact there've been six deaths over a five-year period among people who were sleeping rough. It led to a damning coronial inquest which criticised past efforts to curb alcohol abuse and recommended a rehab centre. That recommendation has never been implemented.

The next day, Bruce and Tony assess the damage in an area known as 18 Tank, where people sleep in makeshift shelters.

BRUCE THOMPSON: Yeah, I think there's been a bit of a camp in through here where people are having a little bit of a drink. Got a bit of a whirly here.

TONY EDMONDS, LOCAL COUNCIL EMPLOYEE: The people that we deal with everyday are the same people that we've been dealing with for the last five years. We try to get help where we can for them and try the rehabilitation, but a lot of them don't want to be rehabilitated.

VASSIL MALANDRIS: Even if they wanted help, the closest rehab' facility is nearly 800 kilometres away in Adelaide.

There's a lot of money coming into this town through federal agencies. Where's it going?

BRUCE THOMPSON: That's right. That's right. Well ...

TONY EDMONDS: Another good question. Not coming to us.

BRUCE THOMPSON: We're not privy to that information, obviously.

VASSIL MALANDRIS: In a town of just over 3,000 people, there are about 20 welfare agencies and tens of millions of dollars spent every year. Mayor Alan Souter is sick of the waste.

ALLAN SUTER, MAYOR: We don't actually need more money; we need better use to be made of the money, because the Government is pouring a lot of resources into this area. Too much of it is being wasted.

VASSIL MALANDRIS: The day we were there, the agencies held a meeting to draft a new action plan, the sixth in just 11 years.

Mayor Suter wanted to propose an income management plan to restrict the amount of welfare money spent on alcohol, but the agencies wouldn't even consider it because they thought it was too extreme.

ALLAN SUTER: I was hoping it would have some decisive, strong actions to really address what is a terrible problem, and unfortunately I couldn't see any evidence of that.

VASSIL MALANDRIS: The agencies are working on a report ambitiously called Breaking the Cycle for Federal Minister Jenny Macklin, who visited the town a few months ago.

MICK HAYNES: This process is gonna allow services to actually engage with those people that require assistance or counselling and also to check on their health and their general well-being.

KHATIJA THOMAS, COMMISSIONER: I think that's something that needs to come from our elders here in Ceduna like Mick and Peter. And they do have the answers and the solutions. It's all there. It's just about getting the right support and framework around making those things happen.

VASSIL MALANDRIS: But we're told some here try to ensure that outsiders like the minister don't see what's going on.

TONY EDMONDS: The people are paid to go away and stay away while the minister's visiting.

VASSIL MALANDRIS: How much are they paid?

TONY EDMONDS: Well, there's been a bit of a rumour: a couple of hundred dollars each.

VASSIL MALANDRIS: But for all the problems, there is hope in Ceduna. This day centre provides meals and respite for families affected by drug or alcohol abuse. Despite these efforts and the millions being spent, they're a long way from achieving their goal of breaking the cycle.

I think the worst thing to ever happen is if this whole thing is neglected and then we get another generation and another generation coming through.